Formula 4: Jenzer team remains good third 🎥
WET FINAL IN ROME Although Jenzer Motorsport only scored a few points in the final rounds of the Italian Formula 4 Championship in Vallelunga, these were no longer decisive. But these were no longer decisive. With 33 identical Tatuus-Abarths, the seventh and final race weekend of the Italian Formula 4 Championship in Vallelunga near Rome was extremely strong, just like two weeks earlier in Imola. Unfortunately, [...]
With 33 identical Tatuus-Abarths, the seventh and final race weekend of the Italian Formula 4 Championship in Vallelunga near Rome featured an extremely strong line-up, just like two weeks earlier in Imola. Unfortunately, the four juniors from Jenzer Motorsport were unable to keep up the pace at the front in difficult external conditions, although there were two or three bright spots.
The consequences of the late deadline
Stormy winds, cold temperatures and heavy rain alternated in colorful succession. Thus, the first race on a drying track was marred by three safety car phases, the last of which lasted until the chequered flag fell.
The second race on Sunday morning was cancelled altogether due to flooded track, which was regretted above all by the Swiss team. With grid positions 3, 5, 14 and 16, the starting position of the four Jenzer juniors for the podium and good points was much better than in the other two races.
More yellow phases than race laps
In the afternoon, the weather situation seemed to improve enough for the race to start. However, due to the renewed onset of rain, the race organizers interrupted the first practice session after one lap behind the safety car.
After an interruption, there was a restart before the final run also had to be neutralized again due to incidents and finally ended prematurely under a red flag. In net terms, there was only really free running in four of the 21 race laps over the entire weekend.
The summary of the Vallelunga weekend from Jenzer Motorsport.
Strongest Jenzer junior as pandemic victim
In seventh place, Filip Ugran gave his team the only top-10 result in Vallelunga, with newcomer Sergio Ramos from Mexico narrowly missing out in eleventh. Ugran had still been fighting for the championship with the strongest Italians on the first two race weekends in the summer and celebrated a fine victory with his team in Imola.
It was to remain the only one. Due to travel restrictions, the Romanian had to forgo the trip to the following race in Austria (Red Bull Ring) and thus lost touch with the top of the standings.
At Mugello and Imola, he managed two more podium finishes before a serious accident at Monza, in which the car broke in two, put him out of the running. In the championship won by Italian Gabriele Mini, Filip Ugran is now only eighth with less than half as many points.
A question of money
On the other hand, Ugran contributed the most points to Jenzer Motorsport's third place in the team standings. The Prema Powerteam won this clearly ahead of Van Amersfoort Racing.
Both teams operate with significantly larger budgets than the Swiss squad, which has also allowed them to afford considerably more test days. This is actually a nonsensical expense for a junior formula.
The latter is also mainly the reason why Jasin Ferati only managed three countable results in the equally controversial rookie classification (20th of 26). In the last race, however, the 17-year-old from Winterthur could have made the longed-for breakthrough.
Missed chance from Jasin Ferati
After Ferati had advanced from 30th on the grid to P18 on Saturday on the drying track with old rain tires, he was tenth in the final race, the furthest ahead than ever before.
Unfortunately, he went off the track once into the gravel bed, from which he was able to free himself, but only found himself in 25th position. Because of the stop, that's where it remained.
Mixed seasonal balance
Although the season's results could be better, the team boss is not dissatisfied.
Andreas Jenzer: "Because drivers from completed Formula 4 championships came to Italy, the level was extremely high on the last two weekends. Ugran's psyche was affected by the missed race weekend and the accident in Monza. And Jasin did relatively well in testing and in the races. But when the clock was ticking in qualifying, he was a bit nervous. There's certainly room to build on his first Formula 4 season."
